Lakkidi: Kashi Viswanathan Temple at Home!

Lakkidi, a small village in Palakkad district Kerala, is life-size with its importance in major contributions to the culture of Kerala. I first visited this place as a new bride to my husband’s ancestral home, near Lakkidi Koottupatha. Little did I know about the importance of this place as well as the role played by the family to which I had married into!

The trees in front of Kashi Viswanatha shrine

In the first visit itself the calm but elegant ambience of the family temple enchanted me. Surrounded by shrubs and trees that had their freedom in the carefree wilderness, the temple evoked a sense of divine protection. As I closed my eyes in front of the shrine to Kashi Viswanathan, I felt that his protection will be there to remove all obstacles in our marital life. 

There is a story that is not old for more than a century behind the arrival of Kashi Viswanathan as the family deity. Manthredam, the family where my husband was born had faced a great threat, years before. In those days only the eldest son in Brahmin family was allowed to have marriage from Brahmin families. The younger sons could marry from other sectors of upper caste Hindus but wouldn’t have any right on their ancestral property.

The great grandfather of the present members in Manthredam was a younger brother in his family. As per custom his elder brother had marriage from a Brahmin families and he had a marriage from a Kovilakam¹ named Elyangattu. However even after many years, the elder brother didn’t have any children, so finally they checked the horoscope of the family.

As per the astrologer’s vision, the family would’ve continued only through the younger brother. Also, the astrologer told that someone should go to the holy place of Kashi. There, he should take three dips in the holy river of Ganga. The astrologer had predicted that on the third dip, the person would get the divine Shiva Linga in his hands. Those in Manthredam should worship the Kashi Viswanathan as their family without fail. 

But still, there was a trouble. The astrologer also told that whoever goes for this particular venture would die as soon as he returned home. Now, all were in a dilemma. Who would risk his life for the family?

It was then a poor Brahmin in the neighbourhood, who offered his assistance for the task. He agreed to take this adventure on the condition that Manthredam would take care of his family. It was very much agreeable for the wealthy family of Manthredam and they readily made the arrangements to send the person to Kashi.

The Brahmin went to Kashi on an auspicious date. As per the astrologer’s prediction he took three dips in the Holy Ganga. In the third dip that he had taken, there came Kashi Viswanathan into his hands in the form of holy Shiva Linga!!

The Brahmin came back with the divine presence in his hands. Kashi Viswanathan got welcomed to Manthredam in full festivities. Soon, the younger brother of the family was fetched from his wife and six children of Elyangattu. He got married from a Brahmin family. The divine intervention may be there; soon his wife gave birth to a son to continue the lineage of the family. The lineage still continues through the 21 children of this son and many children of his brothers. That eldest son became the grandfather to my husband too.

The Brahmin who sought the divine presence to the family, passed away two weeks after his return from Kashi. I wonder, whether his sorrow to leave his body looms as a shadow over Manthredam? Or, did his soul gained the supreme bliss through this majestic act?

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